Chrysanthemum plant named Linda

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named Linda particularly characterized by its flat capitulum form; decorative capitulum type; white ray floret color with light yellow center of the flower; diameter across face of capitulum of 51 to 64 mm when fully opened; branching pattern is spreading and prolific, with 7 to 9 breaks after pinch when grown outside under natural daylength in fall flowerings and in 10 cm pots for spring flowerings; natural season flower date of August 23 to 31 when planting rooted cuttings on June 21 to 23 in Salinas, Calif., and of October 2 to 5 when planting rooted cuttings June 15 to June 18 in Hightstown, N.J.; flowering response of 48 to 53 days after rooting in no light/no shade programs in spring in Salinas; plant height of 25 to 30 cm when grown in fall under natural daylength with no growth regulators in New Jersey, and of 18 to 20 cm when grown in 10 cm pots in spring with 1 to 2 applications of 2500 ppm B-9 SP; and durable, uniform performance.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora, andreferred to by the cultivar name Linda.

Linda, identified as 8481 (86-490001), was originated from a cross madeby Cornelis P. VandenBerg in a controlled breeding program in Salinas,Calif., in 1985.

The female parent of Linda was the unnamed seedling, identified at 2625(82-M49004), and described as a white decorative garden mum; flowerdiameter of 64 to 76 mm; natural season flower date of August 24 to 27in Salinas, Calif., and of September 26 to 30 in Hightstown, N.J.; aflowering response in spring of 48 to 54 days; plant height of 25 to 28cm in fall natural season flowerings in New Jersey, and of 20 to 23 cmin spring flowerings in 10 cm pots with no growth regulator in Salinas.The female parent of Linda was discarded from the program in October1987.

The male parent of Linda as also an unnamed seedling, identified as 0313(83-645001) and described as a white daisy garden mum; flower diameterof 32 mm; natural season flower date of August 24 to 28 in Salinas,Calif., and of September 28 to 29 in Hightstown, N.J.; a floweringresponse in spring of 51 to 52 days; plant height of 33 cm in fallnatural season flowering in New Jersey, and of 20 to 25 cm in springflowerings in 10 cm pots with no growth regulator in Salinas. The maleparent of Linda was discarded from the program in May 1988.

Linda was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross by Cornelis P. VandenBerg in September 1986,in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Linda was accomplished whenvegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in November1986 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., by techniciansworking under supervision of Cornelis P. VandenBerg.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successiveplantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for Linda are firmly fixed and are retained throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

Linda has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions.The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such astemperature, light intensity and daylength, without, however, anyvariance in the genotype.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describedplants grown in Salinas, Calif., and in Hightstown, N.J. Rooted cuttingswere established in soil and maintained outdoors under the naturaltemperature and daylength prevailing during June through October. Springflowerings were conducted in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditionswhich approximate those generally used in commercial greenhouse practicefor small pot spring garden mum production.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Linda, which, in combination, distinguishthis Chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Decorative capitulum type.

3. White ray floret color with light yellow center of the flower.

4. Diameter across face of capitulum of 5 1 to 64 mm when fully opened.

5. Branching pattern is spreading and prolific, with 7 to 9 breaks afterpinch when grown outside under natural daylength in fall flowerings andin 10 cm pots for spring flowerings.

6. Natural season flower date of August 23 to 31 when planting rootedcuttings on June 21 to 23 in Salinas, Calif., and of October 2 to 5 whenplanting rooted cutitngs June 15 to 18 in Hightstown, N.J.

7. Flowering response of 48 to 53 days after rooting in no light/noshade programs in spring in Salinas.

8. Plant height of 25 to 30 cm when grown in fall under naturaldaylength with no growth regulators in New Jersey, and of 18 to 20 cmwhen grown in 10 cm in spring with 1 to 2 applications of 2500 ppm B-9SP.

9. Durable, uniform performance.

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical inflorescence andleaf characterisatics of Linda, with the colors being as nearly true aspossible with illustrations of this type.

Sheet 1 is a color photograph of Linda grown as a pinched spray pot mumwith 1 cutting in a 10 cm pot.

Sheet 2 is a black and white photograph of three views of theinflorescence of Linda.

Sheet 3 is a black and white photograph showing the upper and undersides of the leaves of Linda at 3 stages of development (mature,intermediate and immature). In sheets 2 and 3 a measuring tape incentimeters has been added.

Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar incomparison to Linda is the cultivar identified as Nicole, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,517. Reference is made to attached Chart A, whichcompares certain characteristics of Linda to the same characteristics ofNicole, when both cultivars are grown side by side under the samegrowing conditions.

Similar traits are ray floret color, capitulum form and type andbranching pattern. Diameter of capitulum, natural season flower date inSalinas fall flowerings, controlled response and plant height of Lindaand Nicole fall into the same range. Natural season flower date in NewJersey of Linda is signficantly later than the flowering date of Nicoleunder the same conditions. This is an important trait, and Linda wasspecifically selected for this trait in order to extend the naturalseason flowering period for white decorative garden mums by more thanone week.

In the following description color references are made to the RoyalHoritcultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determined onplant material grown as a pinched spray pot mum in a 10 cm pot inSalinas, Calif. on Apr. 15, 1991.

Classification:

Biotanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv. Linda.

Commercial.--Flat decorative spray pot mum and garden mum.

IINFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Decorative.

Diameter across face.--51 to 64 mm when fully opened.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--White, withlight yellow center of flower.

Color (upper surface).--155D, with center of flower closest to 2D to 4D.

Color (under surface).--155D.

Shape.--Cross section concave, longitudinal section of outer ray floretsconvex.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--14B.

Color (immature).--144C.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only, no to very scant pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets.

PLANT

A. General appearence:

Height.--25 to 30 cm when grown in fall under natural daylength in NewJersey with no growth regulators, and of 18 to 20 cm when grown in 10 cmpots in spring in Salinas with 1 to 2 applications of 2500 ppm B-9 SP.

Branching pattern.--Spreading and prolific, with 7 to 9 breaks afterpinch when grown outside under natural daylength in fall flowerings andin 10 cm pots for spring flowerings.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--147A.

Color (under surface).--147B.

Shape.--See photograph.

                  CHART A                                                         ______________________________________                                        CULTIVAR      LINDA         NICOLE                                            ______________________________________                                        Ray floret color                                                                            White with light                                                                            White with light                                                yellow center yellow center                                     Capitulum form and                                                                          Flat decorative                                                                             Flat decorative                                   type                                                                          Diameter across face                                                                        51 to 64 mm   44 to 63 mm                                       of capitulum                                                                  Branching pattern                                                                           Spreading and Spreading and                                                   prolific      prolific                                          Natural season flower                                                         date:                                                                         in Salinas, CA                                                                              Aug. 23 to 31 Aug. 17 to 26                                     in Hightstown Oct. 2 to 5   Sept. 17 to 27                                    Controlled response                                                                         48 to 53 days 45 to 54 days                                     Plant height:                                                                 in natural season fall                                                                      25 to 30 cm   23 to 30 cm                                       in 10 cm pots spring                                                                        18 to 20 cm   18 to 23 cm                                       ______________________________________                                        COMPARISONS MADE OF PLANTS GROWN AS                                           UNDER NATURAL SEASON OUTDOOR CONDITIONS                                       IN SALINAS, CALIFORNIA AND IN                                                 HIGHTSTOWN, NEW JERSEY AND IN SPRING                                          FLOWERING PROGRAMS IN SALINAS, CALIFORNIA                                     ______________________________________                                    

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named Linda, asdescribed and illustrated.